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READER INSIGHTS

‘It’s going to be a bleak winter’: How people in Germany are coping with the energy crisis

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, price hikes and fears of energy shortages, Germany is bracing for a difficult winter. In our latest survey, readers told us they were already attempting to cut their energy use and tighten their belts.

Houses covered with snow in Leipzig in winter.
Leipzig pictured in winter. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Jan Woitas

Winter is coming. The ominous refrain from Game of Thrones has felt increasingly relevant this year in Germany. Even before last winter had turned into spring, government ministers were issuing warnings about the next set of cold months looming ahead.

Since Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine, energy and consumer prices have spiralled, largely driven by a massive reduction in gas supplies from Moscow.

The situation has prompted a race to fill up gas reserves in Germany for the cooler months. At the same time, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has been calling on citizens to do their bit and reduce their energy usage. 

He has also predicted four-figure rises in energy bills this year, piling more pain onto those already struggling to cope with rising food and fuel costs.

READ ALSO: What to know about Germany’s new energy saving rules

Have the warnings cut through? 

According to The Local’s latest survey, they have. In a recent poll of readers, 97.5 percent told us they were already taking steps to reduce their energy consumption ahead of the winter.

Cutting energy graph

Source: The Local Energy Survey, August 2022

The reasons for doing so were varied, with 40 percent citing rising costs as their primary concern.

Almost half of the respondents (47.5 percent) said there was more than one reason for their reduction in energy use, including support for Ukraine in the ongoing war, soaring costs, concerns about climate change and heading the government’s advice.

Berlin resident Steve Hammond, 60, said he was trying to be more conscious of his energy use for a range of reasons, but “mainly as a small anti-Putin gesture”.

To minimise his energy consumption, Steve has been taking cold showers and has also installed a pressure reducer to reduce the flow rate in his shower, as well as opting for energy-efficient LED lights throughout the home.

I am lucky to be able to absorb these costs and to support family members but I am concerned for those who are less fortunate,” he told us.

graph showing energy cutting motivation

Source: The Local Energy Survey, August 2022

But Heidelberg resident Seshadri Sreenivas, 40, told us he felt ill-equipped to deal with Germany’s cold season in the ongoing crisis.

“I am a bit nervous as the winter approaches,” he said. “I come from a tropical country where washing a sweatshirt is the maximum preparation required for winter. It is my second winter in Germany and I am worried about whether I have all the required knowledge to know how to act in such situations.”

Energy saving measures

When it comes to energy saving, the vast majority of respondents said they were trying to limit their use of hot water first and foremost.

Several people told us they were taking shorter, colder showers and avoiding using hot water while doing the dishes or washing their hands. 

“We are not using our dryer; taking cooler, shorter showers, and plan to only heat two rooms in our house this winter,” said 39-year-old Berlin resident Paige.

Hilary Raeburn, 75, said she was planning to hold off as long as possible on turning on the heating this winter and would rely on warm clothing until November at least. She’s also been turning off the oven at the mains straight after cooking and taking fewer hot showers to save energy.

However, the Düsseldorf resident said she was “not too worried” about the situation after seeing people pulling together in the community.

“I think Germany will pull through due to strong communal spirit,” she said. “In our flats we are trying to reduce our energy demands collectively.”

With many growing nervous about rising electricity bills, some told us they had already invested in energy-efficient appliances for the home and were increasingly aware of turning off power outlets and lights wherever they could.

“We’ve switched to more energy efficient appliances in the kitchen as the flat came with mostly 90’s appliances, and have changed all lightbulbs to LEDs,” said 30-year-old Berliner Chris. 

Meanwhile, 37-year-old Sierra, who lives in Hannover, said she had turned off all the outdoor lighting and was only using light indoors “when necessary”. 

Others were aiming to make the best use of their offices by charging phones while at work, while one respondent said they had even started taking their showers at the gym rather than at home.

READ ALSO: Cold showers to turning off lights: How German cities are saving energy

‘We’ve cancelled everything we can’

While a handful of people said they felt they could bear the financial strain of the price rises, others were cutting back wherever they could to make ends meet.

“The issue isn’t ‘will I have heat’ but will I be able to afford the heat,” said Hamburg resident Rob Lederman, 62. “Panic buying electric heaters isn’t going to do any good.”

Carl, 33, in Saxony, said his energy use had always been low, even before the crisis. With the soaring prices, there are few ways he will be able to cut back – aside from drastically limiting the heat he uses in winter. 

But even if he only turned on the heat every other day, he fears he still wouldn’t be able to afford it.

“We used to have a surplus each month of about €200,” he told The Local. “With inflation and fuel prices that’s gone. I got a pay rise that was swallowed up too. We currently just about make ends meet.”

The fact that the fuel tax cut and the €9 ticket ended in September will make things even more difficult, Carl said.

Man with coins from wallet

A man takes coins out of his wallet. People told us they were struggling to make ends meet in the current crisis. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Friso Gentsch

“We’ve cancelled almost everything we can. We’ve got a few subscription services left we can cut,” he explained. “Then it’s dipping into savings. But it’s going to be a very bleak winter.”

For 33-year-old Sara Anthony, who lives in Rostock, the situation is similar.

“We don’t really use heat at all in the winter, we like things colder and since Germans like to keep their homes tropical, we find our apartment is still too warm for us in the winter without using any heat ourselves,” she said.

This year, she has avoided using her air conditioner and has tried to keep lights off as much as possible. Even though she doesn’t have any gas appliances, Sarah is concerned that the gas heating in her building could land her with a huge bill for additional costs (Nebenkostenabrechnung) next year. 

“I’m worried about inflation and food prices, and I feel like my paycheck isn’t enough to cover everything like it was in the first part of the year,” she said. 

READ ALSO: Reader question: Should I invest in an electric heater in Germany this winter?

‘A lot of people will suffer’

Despite the countless inventive ways people are attempting to limit their energy use, many of the respondents to our survey expressed a broader sense of helplessness in the face of current events.

“Two years of lockdowns followed now by the unknown energy pressure and costs,” said 54-year-old Munich resident Fiona. “I feel as though we are living on permanently shifting sands. The older we get, the longer we work, the poorer we seem to become.”

Even for those who feel that their wallets can take the strain, there are worries about whether the economy and society as a whole will get through this latest challenge unscathed. 

Newspaper stand in Germany

A woman picks a newspaper from a news stand. The Local’s readers say they feel helpless in the face of current global affairs. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Annette Riedl

“Not keen on the increased costs and the fact that we’ll have to tighten our belt, but more worried for the less well-off and the social fabric at large,” said Hamburg resident Carolyn.

“A lot of people are really going to suffer, and I fear the consequences for society as a whole.”

Jose, 35, from Munich, expressed similar views.

He said he felt “bombarded” by ever-worsening current affairs over the past few years and told us that the current high consumer prices were a constant worry.

“Let’s just hope this is something temporary that will be tackled in the mid-term future,” he said. “Hopefully the war will end.” 

READ ALSO: OPINION: Germany has failed to do its energy ‘homework’ – and faces years of catching up

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CITIZENSHIP

‘Get in early’: Your tips for applying for German citizenship

Are you ready to apply for naturalisation in Germany? We asked readers about their experience applying for citizenship so far, and what tips they could share.

'Get in early': Your tips for applying for German citizenship

With Germany’s new dual citizenship rules officially coming into effect on June 27th, some prospective new Germans-to-be have been gathering documents and taking their language tests.

Yet, plenty of other candidates for naturalisation are still waiting to hear back about applications submitted months or even years ago.

The Local recently polled readers who were either already in the process of applying, or planning to apply for citizenship soon. Of 121 readers who took our survey, 81 percent intend to apply for citizenship compared to 12 percent that were still unsure.

Additionally, six percent said they will not apply, and the remaining few had already naturalised.

READ ALSO: What would German citizenship mean to foreign residents?

Here are some concerns and helpful tips from readers who have already started an application for citizenship.

How are current applications going?

Asked how the application process has been so far, those who have already applied or started putting together their applications had radically varied responses.

It seems that applying for naturalisation can be pretty straightforward or wildly frustrating, depending on where you live.

Some readers are having a relatively easy time with it, such as Nauman, from Pakistan, who notes that “in Berlin it is online, so all is good.” In the capital, the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) opened up a central office at the start of the year and has entirely digitalised its processes, from the initial screening to the application itself. 

Not too far away in Brandenburg, Elshafie, who is 35 from Sudan, told The Local: “I’m getting quick responses by email – sometimes same-day responses.” So far Elshafie, who has lived in Germany since 2017 and is married with one kid, has secured an appointment for submitting papers in June.

Another reader also called out the ease of applying via a new digital portal. A 30-year-old reader who has lived in Germany for six years called the process “smooth”, adding: “I am lucky to be a resident of Hamburg which is one of the few cities that now have a digital application process.”

But even in places where a new, digital application process exists, people who applied prior to the digital process are sometimes left waiting while newer applicants . Such is the case for thousands of applicants in Berlin, many of whom have been waiting for years already.

READ ALSO: ‘I’ve waited four years’ – Foreigners in Berlin furious over German citizenship delays

“I applied in September 2023, and heard nothing back so far,” said Dilara, 30, a Turkish-born resident living in Berlin. As a bit of a sarcastic tip to other readers, she suggested applying as soon as you enter the country because “it will take years anyways”.

Dilara is not the only applicant left waiting without an explanation. In fact, a lot of readers had some choice words for the process, which in many cases can be very quite long and opaque. 

Daria, 26, from Russia said she applied in August 2023 in the city of Gießen. “They said to wait 20 months for the work on my application to start,” she told The Local. “Now they’re saying to wait 22 months. They don’t tell the name of the person in charge of my application and don’t answer any questions regarding my case. I think of suing them a lot.”

Another applicant consulted a law firm after the naturalisation office in Landkreis Harz said that they weren’t offering further consultations this year due to the high demand.

“I had my citizenship test and B1 language certificate ready. The last document I need now is my pension insurance history, and I just found out that the reason I don’t have it, despite requesting it twice, is that my address on file was wrong,” said Ryan Thomas Sanders, 35, from the US.

Even for those applying from outside of Germany, long delays with no communication seems to be the norm rather than the exception here.

Veronica Dierick, 66, said she handed in her application for citizenship by descent to the German Embassy in Belgium on March 5th and is still waiting for a response. 

A citizenship applicants reads the German constitution.

A citizenship applicants reads the state constitution in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marijan Murat

Advice from readers: gather your documents and start early

Bureaucratic processes in Germany are known to drive people crazy – even plenty of native-born Germans. 

So in some sense, the fraught process of applying for citizenship can be seen as the last, painful but vital step, toward truly becoming German.

That said, it’s definitely worth taking any and all extra precautions to make the process as easy as possible. So with that in mind, here are a few tips that might help.

Daria, who is still in the middle of a long wait on her own application, recommends making copies of all of your documents before sending them in, noting that she regrets not having done so herself – both to retain her own copies and also as means of proof of when and what she had submitted. 

She added, “We’re sitting in the same boat. Try to apply as soon as possible… as later you’ll regret that you haven’t applied sooner.”

Ryan Thomas Sanders suggests getting your language certificate and citizenship test out of the way early, even if you don’t yet meet the residency requirement: “These are probably two of the most time-consuming documents and you can and should get them taken care of early.”

Dani, 34, from the US said, “Always ask your local Amt about their current rules because they often differ from what is happening in Berlin or other larger cities.”

Meanwhile, Jon, 34, who has lived in Germany for five years provided an unsolicited endorsement for The Local, adding: “Because of this site, I’m feeling prepared and informed. I have everything ready to go once the applications are accepted for dual citizenship in June.”

He added that applicants should “stay organised and allow extra time for each step like getting test results, documents from an employer, or translations of original documents.”

All of which is great advice, and is aligned with the advice told to The Local by immigration lawyer Andreas Moser, who advises making sure your application is as neatly organised as possible.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED – How to get a speedy response on your German citizenship application

If you’ve met all the requirements, gathered all the papers, and presented it all as neatly as possible, the only thing left to do is wait and hope or pray for the best. 

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